Actually, I despise icons on my desktop, so that's never been an issue for me. I've tried Openbox a few times, it's just a bit too bare bones for my taste. I like the whole panel with a menu thing. (Yes, I know you can put a panel in Openbox, I just don't like it as well.) I also like shortcuts on my panel and in my menu for my favorite apps. Here's my setup:

Not too far from "stock." Just a few personal touches here and there, I like to keep things simple and straightforward.

I used to do a lot of customization too. Now, I just prefer to dig in and get going, as you said. Though, some things (like changing the clock display) do give me something to do while my graphics driver is downloading and installing.

Actually, I despise icons on my desktop, so that's never been an issue for me. I've tried Openbox a few times, it's just a bit too bare bones for my taste. I like the whole panel with a menu thing. (Yes, I know you can put a panel in Openbox, I just don't like it as well.) I also like shortcuts on my panel and in my menu for my favorite apps.

I have all of that !! -- you just don't see it in my screenshot! I use (in the computer shown) lxpanel and set it to hide until the mouse enters the edge where it is hidden -- but otherwise it resembles your panel quite a bit. On other machines that I use with Openbox I have tint2 as my panel. Works quite well for me. I really use keyboard shortcuts very much to start programs, etc. so panel shortcuts don't bring me much and I don't always set them up.

You have a really nice, clean setup and it looks a lot like my standard Peppermint LXDE login. I switch between the Peppermint standard WM (LXDE), Openbox and i3 with just about every login. Maybe I should go into therapy ...

Naw, there's nothing wrong with doing things how you like it. It's your system, it should be set up exactly as you want it. That's one thing that always attracted me about Linux. If you don't like it, fix it.

Actually, I despise icons on my desktop, so that's never been an issue for me. I've tried Openbox a few times, it's just a bit too bare bones for my taste. I like the whole panel with a menu thing. (Yes, I know you can put a panel in Openbox, I just don't like it as well.) I also like shortcuts on my panel and in my menu for my favorite apps. Here's my setup:

Not too far from "stock." Just a few personal touches here and there, I like to keep things simple and straightforward.

Nice background is that the game Faster Than Light?

I own it but haven't had much of a chance to play it yet, if so! Too many Steam games.

Actually, I despise icons on my desktop, so that's never been an issue for me. I've tried Openbox a few times, it's just a bit too bare bones for my taste. I like the whole panel with a menu thing. (Yes, I know you can put a panel in Openbox, I just don't like it as well.) I also like shortcuts on my panel and in my menu for my favorite apps. Here's my setup:

Not too far from "stock." Just a few personal touches here and there, I like to keep things simple and straightforward.

Nice background is that the game Faster Than Light?

I own it but haven't had much of a chance to play it yet, if so! Too many Steam games.

Yep, FTL. That background is a game perk for buying it on GOG. I like FTL, but you definitely die a lot. Though, it can be hilarious. I've had my crew die from suffocation, fires, being boarded and good old fashioned your hull reaches zero and the ship 'splodes. I haven't played a whole lot of it.

I hear you on having too many games. I have some games I've never played. I'm saving them for when I'm done with others and don't have the cash to buy more.

Yeah, I love GL. I have the first 20 Hal Jordan GL comics from the late 50s/early 60s in a handy single volume (line art only, no color, but I don't care) and I love it. I need to get more volumes with more GL goodness.